1. Field
One embodiment of the invention relates to an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer, and a touch pad control method for use in the apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, various types of notebook portable personal computers have been developed. Most of these types of computers have touch pads functioning as pointing devices. The user can perform a pointing operation, such as movement of a cursor (mouse pointer), by operating the touch pad by the finger.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-248550 discloses a touch pad including a display device like a liquid crystal display (LCD). A tap zone is provided on the surface of the touch pad. If the tap zone is tapped by the user, a function corresponding to the tap zone is activated. If a region, other than the tap zone, on the surface of the touch pad is touch-operated by the user, a mouse pointing function is executed. In addition, the touch pad has a function of displaying wallpaper, and a function of displaying icon corresponding to function which is assigned to the tap zone on the surface of the touch pad.
In the touch pad of Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-248550, however, a specific area on the surface of the touch pad is used as a tap zone, and the other area is used as an area for pointing operations. It is thus possible that the user may erroneously touch the tap zone while performing a pointing operation, and a function which is not intended by the user may be activated.